More than 50 cyclists wrapped around the front of the St. Julien Hotel this morning, waiting for a free breakfast of tofu hash and mini pecan Saigon cinnamon sticky buns, among other tasty bites, and a chance for a free massage.

Those cyclists were among the more than 10,000 people who were expected to participate in Boulder's 41st annual Bike to Work Day today.

In addition to the increased number of cyclists on the roads, Sue Prant of Community Cycles said that more businesses are stepping up to provide breakfast at the more than 63 breakfast stations set up around Boulder.

"The response from the business community about wanting to be involved in a day that celebrates bicycling in Boulder has just been really great," Prant said. "They want to thank the cyclists, they want to show their support for bicycling in Boulder."

Alex Skanse, an employee at Missy J's treats — one of several vendors set up along the Goose Creek Trail — said she is using the exposure to get more bicyclists into the shop and meet some of the people that pass by the business every day.

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"We're giving out some coupons so hopefully that'll give people an incentive to come to our store and try more of our products," Skanse said of Missy J's, which sells natural snacks and treats.

There to sample from the array of vendors were George Karpoff and Hannah Lackoff.

"We bike to work every day or most days and it's (the station on Goose Creek Trail) just one of the better stops to come to," Karpoff said.

At the St. Julien, which has participated in Bike to Work Day for eight years, bicyclists also got complimentary tune-ups from the Full Cycle Fix-it Station at St. Julien. Steve Cepek, a sales manager at Full Cycle, volunteered for the event on his day off.

"Honestly, we love bikes and we love good breakfast, so Bike to Work Day is something that we've supported for years," Cepek said. "It's something that we get to hang out with the community and really just get a little bit more in the trenches."

Although Cepek said he will probably tune up around 40 bikes today, he said he enjoys being outside and is excited to get new people involved in cycling.

"Stay on the path," Cepek said.

Like Cepek, Dax Burgos, who works with Community Cycles, is optimistic about what the day could mean for the future.

"You know, I think there's strength in numbers, especially for people who are new to biking or are scared of biking in our community," Burgos said. "Just having all of these people out and around to bring awareness to people who are driving.

"It's just something that I think encourages folks to think differently, whether it be about cyclists or even seeing commuting as something different," Burgos said.

Whether it is on a purple lowrider, fat tire, Trek or Tour Easy, the message is clear — biking is for everyone. While the day is to celebrate people who make the choice to bike to work regularly, it is also a way to reach people who may be entering the bicycling world for the first time.

George Sharman, of Bicycle Village, tunes up a bike at the Whole Foods food station on Bike to Work Day in Boulder. (Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer)

"As Boulder grows and expands, we want to add more people but not add more traffic. Getting more people on bikes is one of the ways to do that," Prant said. "Bike to Work Day encourages that and we get letters from people all the time after Bike to Work day like, 'I got all ready and I biked for my first time and it was great and it wasn't scary and now I'm going to do it.

"That is like the ultimate goal of Bike to Work Day, to get more people on bikes, especially people who are uncomfortable doing it every day, so there's a day that celebrates it and they can feel safer and see that it's not a scary thing," Prant added.

Prant said that 4,500 cyclists registered for this year's event, but she estimated that thousands more participated.

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